Gray Guys/Girls Masters Focus Triathlete Forum--OPEN! (Page 19)

Thanks for all those transition tips.  It is an area that I need to improve on.  I do pretty well in T2 most of the time, but am always slow coming out of T1.   I did have one pretty slow T2 a couple years back.  After racking my bike and getting my shoes on, I grabbed my run cap (some sunscreen inside).  When I got close to the T2 exit point I flipped my hat onto my head.   It was at that point that I discovered that my bike helmet was still on.  I think it cost me a good 1.5 minutes to get back to my bike and drop off the helmet.   Needless to say, I have not made that mistake again.

My two cents on shoes:   Last year I changed over from a carbon soled Specialized bike shoe to a pair of carbon soled Pearl Izumi's.  I was skeptical about not wearing socks, but am now completely used to it.   I find them more comfortable than my old bike shoes.   I have not tried attaching them to the pedals, but it is on my list of things I would like to do.   I keep putting it off because I always associate doing a flying mount with attaching the shoes to the pedals.   I can see that it might help cut some time even without the flying mount.

It is amazing what happens when you understand what you are doing and why you are doing it.  Having a way to accurately predict race pace is just "icing on the cake."  Back in the day I enjoyed swimming success beyond my wildest dreams and I owed it all to my coach introducing me to STP and the various types of endurance training.  Well, that and having absolutely perfect stroke technique drilled into my head 8-hours a day.

Spending additional time in an OWS environment will help more than anything.  As I have repeatedly said, the rules change in an OWS.  As to the coaching quality.  I would not expect a great deal, certainly not from a stroke technique standpoint.  In an open water environment, it is difficult at best to see what is happening underwater (you can't).  Accept the fact that your stroke is likely going to change a bit in open water.  The rougher the conditions, the more your technique is going to change.  Another thing to consider, in the open water, you are "out there" and the coach is on shore.  If the coach is in a boat or kayak out with you, he/she is having to deal with whatever water conditions you have to deal with all the while trying to observe and offer critique - not a recipe for really good feedback.  Just sayin' don't have unreal expectations about coaching input.

If you have the opportunity to use a wetsuit during the clinic that will be VERY beneficial.  After not being able to see, using a wetsuit is probably the hardest thing for newer swimmers to adjust to.  The wetsuit is a win/lose type of thing.  It is good because the buoyancy helps considerably, bad because the constriction of the wetsuit often creates problems.

I am sure they will talk about sighting.  I would make sure you master at least two techniques.  Crocodile eyes and head-up sighting immediately come to mind and are the ones that I use.  I say two because you need to be prepared for all types of conditions.  While you are in the water during the clinic, ask yourself what you would do in REALLY BAD conditions, indeed imagine you are in those terrible conditions.  The worst OWS conditions I ever swam in had 30+ MPH wind, 8-10 foot swell past the surf line and 8-12 foot surf on the shore which made a beach start a tremendous challenge.  That was a stand-alone OWS and I suspect a triathlon swim would be cancelled if conditions were that bad.  The point is, anticipate and train for the worst and hope for the best.  Then if you get a bad conditions day, you are prepared.

Above all, relax and enjoy swimming in open water conditions!

Thank you Stu.  Coming from you, that means a lot.

I took your advice and posted it on the main forum.  As I suspected, it got a couple hits a faded from view pretty quickly.  This is a generalization I admit, but increasingly it seems that people in the TT forum are interested in a) a REALLY quick fix, b) arguing some minor point, c) have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what they are talking about, or d) want to talk about "fluff."  That isn't to say there aren't some good people over there.  I just generally avoid TT.  Too many times I have been told I don't know what I am talking about by someone who swims a 2:45 hundred or a 15:00 five-hundred while at 55 I can still do a sub :55 hundred and a sub 5:00 five-hundred.  I think the people that are truly serious about improving are most likely in the mentor groups.

Just my humble opinion.

Uh-oh!  Sounds like the triathlon bug has well and truly bitten!

Happy Tri-ing!

Well I just did it - I registered for the short course at the New Town triathlon next weekend.  The butterflies are already starting.  I know once I start the race I'll do fine - I just need to keep myself calm until then.  Like I said before, the bike and run are no problem for me, it's just the swim.  I did manage to get in the lake for a while at the race I volunteered at last weekend.  The water felt really good, not cold at all so as long as the lake next weekend is similar, I think I'll do just fine.  I'm also going to volunteer at the kid's tri next weekend (kid's races are Saturday, adult races are Sunday) and hope to be able to get in the lake there for a short swim.  Don't know if they'll allow it, but I'm going to try.  I'll at least have a good idea of the water temp on Sunday. 

Anyone racing this weekend?  I thought about doing the Firecracker run in town tomorrow, but my calf/ankle are acting up again (might be from the run I did last night - should have stopped at 2 miles but it was just too nice out to stop), so I guess I'll be skipping it.  I have the day off work though so hope to get in a good bike ride! 

Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable 4th!
Janet

No races for me for a while.  Still debating about a fall sprint or Olympic.....I also have the November HM.  

I wish the local race company in Richmond were a better organization to deal with, then I would have more options for races.  But--I really don't like the RD or the way she runs things so I let my race fees go to other race companies that are more organized.